Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B67—OPENING, CLOSING OR CLEANING BOTTLES, JARS OR SIMILAR CONTAINERS; LIQUID HANDLING
  • B67C—CLEANING, FILLING WITH LIQUIDS OR SEMILIQUIDS, OR EMPTYING, OF BOTTLES, JARS, CANS, CASKS, BARRELS, OR SIMILAR CONTAINERS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; FUNNELS
  • B67C3/00—Bottling liquids or semiliquids; Filling jars or cans with liquids or semiliquids using bottling or like apparatus; Filling casks or barrels with liquids or semiliquids
  • B67C3/02—Bottling liquids or semiliquids; Filling jars or cans with liquids or semiliquids using bottling or like apparatus
  • B67C3/22—Details
  • B67C3/225—Means for filling simultaneously, e.g. in a rotary filling apparatus or multiple rows of containers
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B67—OPENING, CLOSING OR CLEANING BOTTLES, JARS OR SIMILAR CONTAINERS; LIQUID HANDLING
  • B67C—CLEANING, FILLING WITH LIQUIDS OR SEMILIQUIDS, OR EMPTYING, OF BOTTLES, JARS, CANS, CASKS, BARRELS, OR SIMILAR CONTAINERS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; FUNNELS
  • B67C3/00—Bottling liquids or semiliquids; Filling jars or cans with liquids or semiliquids using bottling or like apparatus; Filling casks or barrels with liquids or semiliquids
  • B67C3/02—Bottling liquids or semiliquids; Filling jars or cans with liquids or semiliquids using bottling or like apparatus
  • B67C3/22—Details

Definitions

• the present invention relates to a rotary fluid dispenser, in particular for use in the bottling industry.
• the fluid to be dispensed can have different functions: for example it may be a beverage to be bottled or a sanitisation fluid for containers or preforms .
• a rotary dispenser for a filler is already known from document DE202006000325, which dispenser comprises a fixed portion and a rotary portion that are coaxial and superposed.
• the fluid to be dispensed passes through channels formed centrally in the fixed portion and the rotary portion.
• an adjustable tensioning element is interposed between the fixed portion and the rotary portion.
• Document EP2070865 discloses a rotary dispenser equipped with sensors able to detect physical properties of the seal element of the fluid conveyor line such as to signal any leaks and risks of contamination associated with the line.
• the rotary dispenser can be used for filling containers with a beverage or for dispensing sterilising fluid, including in a gaseous form.
• Rotary dispensers are already known that are equipped with appropriate valves, actuated mechanically or pneumatically, capable of blocking the dispensing of the fluid at the dead angle.
• valves have a significant effect on the overall costs of the rotary dispenser, in addition to requiring periodic maintenance by specialized personnel.
• dragging manifolds in which one of the elements in contact is provided with an arched through- opening (or slot) which allows dispensing of fluid only to a predefined angular zone of treatment.
• the duration of the treatment is fixed since it is determined by the angular range of the slot, which is dimensioned according to the maximum production speed of the machine .
• the duration of the treatment also varies since the angular width of the slot is fixed. For example, if the machine is to operate at a lower rated velocity with a format, treatment duration increases. In fact, the fluid dispenser nozzles take longer to travel along the slot.
• the duration of the sterilization of the preforms with hot hydrogen peroxide steam cannot exceed a predetermined threshold, so that damage to the plastic material is avoided, which would render the preforms unfit for blow molding.
• the technical task underpinning the present invention is to disclose a rotary fluid dispenser which overcomes the drawbacks of the prior art mentioned above.
• an object of the present invention is to provide a rotary fluid dispenser in which the dispensing duration is adjustable according to the format of the containers .
• a further object of the present invention is to provide a rotary fluid dispenser that is constructionally simple and easy to maintain.
• FIG. 1 illustrates a first embodiment of a rotary fluid dispenser according to the present invention, in a simplified section view (some parts have been removed for reasons of clarity) ;
• FIG. 1 illustrates the rotary fluid dispenser of figure 1, in perspective view from above;
• FIG. 3 and 4 show a detail (fixed portion) of the rotary dispenser of figure 1, with an arched window in two different initial angular positions, in a view from above;
• FIG. 5 illustrates a second embodiment of the rotary fluid dispenser, in a perspective view
• FIG. 6 illustrates the rotary fluid dispenserof figure 5, in a section view
• figure 7 shows the rotary fluid dispenser of figure 5, in an exploded view.
• reference numeral 1 denotes a rotary fluid dispenser originating from a supply line.
• the disclosed rotary dispenser 1 is used to dispense a liquid beverage to a plurality of containers.
• the rotary dispenser 1 dispenses a sterilization fluid (liquid or gaseous) to containers or preforms.
• the rotary dispenser 1 comprises at least a fixed portion 3 and at least a rotary portion 4 that rotates about a predefined axis X.
• the fixed portion 3 is provided with an arched window 5 (or slot) which develops from a first end A to a second end B.
• the angular development of the arched window 5 is less than 340°.
• the angle of development is between 180° and 340°.
• the rotary portion 4 bears a plurality of dispensing outlets 6 of the fluid coming from the supply line.
• the rotary dispenser 1 preferably comprises a plurality of taps (not shown) .
• a tap or a plurality of taps is associated to each outlet 6.
• Each tap is configurable between an open condition in which the fluid is dispensed, and a closed condition in which the dispensing of the fluid is interrupted.
• the containers receive the fluid at a treatment zone contained in the arched window 5, and also having an arcuate development.
• the treatment zone extends from a starting point C fixed to an end point B determined by the second end of the arched window 5.
• the rotary dispenser 1 comprises means 9 for varying the initial angular position of the arched window 5 with respect to the predefined axis X such as to vary the extension of the treatment zone.
• initial angular position is meant the position assumed by the arched window 5 with respect to the predefined axis X before the rotary dispenser 1 commences operation.
• the fixed portion 3 is secured to a stationary base 10 bearing the supply line.
• the means 9 for varying the initial angular position of the arched window 5 with respect to predefined angle X comprise screws 13 and slots 14 for fastening the fixed portion 3 to the base 10.
• Compensation springs (not illustrated) are located inside the rotary dispenser 1, which springs press the base 10 onto the fixed portion 3, and then onto the rotary portion 4, thus maintaining them in contact.
• the fastening screws 12 of the rotary dispenser 1 are loosened to adjust the initial angular position of the arched window 5.
• the rotary portion 4 is provided with an angular reference system (not illustrated) in order to enable fine adjustment of the initial angular position of the arched window 5.
• the fixed portion 3 and the rotary portion 4 are constituted respectively by a first disc 3 and by a second disc 4.
• the arched window 5 consists of a through-opening that passes from base to base of the first disc 3.
• the outlets 6 consist of holes afforded in the second disc 4.
• the first disc 3 (fixed) is arranged above and in contact with the second disc 4 (rotary) .
• the stationary base 10 is formed by a third disc placed above and in contact with the first disc 3 (fixed) .
• the stationary base 10 bears a plurality of conduits 2 that branch off from the supply line (not illustrated) .
• a fourth rotary disc 11 is located below and in contact with the second disc 4 (rotary) .
• Dispensing tubes 16 connected to outputs 6 depart from the fourth disc 11.
• the fixed portion 3 and the rotary portion 4 are concentric and coaxial.
• the fixed portion 3 is shaped as a hollow cylinder having a lateral surface crossed from side to side by the arched window 5.
• the hollow cylinder 3 surrounds and is in contact with the base 10.
• the rotary portion 4 has the form of a hollow cylinder, the lateral surface of which is provided with holes 6 constituting the fluid-dispensing outlets.
• the initial angular position of the arched window 5 is set with respect to the predefined arched axis X, which is maintained fixed during the operation of the rotary dispenser 1 (see for example figure 3) .
• the rotary portion 4 then begins to rotate about the axis X, reaching a predefined operating speed such that the outlets 6 periodically intercept the treatment zone. Thanks to a cam mechanism, when each tap reaches the initial point C of the treatment zone it passes from the closed condition to the open condition, thus beginning to deliver the fluid. It continues to dispense up to the end point B of the treatment zone, i.e. the second end B of the arched window 5. In other words, given the working rotation velocity of the rotary portion 4, the duration of the dispensing is fixed by the extension of the treatment zone.
• the versatility of the disclosed rotary dispenser is ensured by the fact that the period during which dispensing is performed is made to depend on the initial angular position of the arched window (or slot) .
• the dispensing period is easily adjustable to the format of the containers by simply offsetting the position of the window relative to the rotation axis.
• the described rotary dispenser is constructionally simple and easy to maintain as the adjustment of the dispensing period is achieved with the exclusive use of mechanical systems (no valves are required) .

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Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=44554350

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (7)

Cited By (4)

Citations (6)

Family Cites Families (19)

• 2011
  • 2011-05-02 IT IT000033A patent/ITPR20110033A1/it unknown
• 2012
  • 2012-03-30 EP EP12715202.3A patent/EP2614031B1/en not_active Not-in-force
  • 2012-03-30 CN CN201280004248.4A patent/CN103269971B/zh not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 2012-03-30 RU RU2013130001/12A patent/RU2013130001A/ru not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 2012-03-30 US US13/991,048 patent/US20130248047A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2012-03-30 WO PCT/IB2012/051572 patent/WO2012150513A1/en active Application Filing
  • 2012-03-30 JP JP2014508890A patent/JP2014513021A/ja active Pending

Patent Citations (6)

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